Unwavering
by Cassidy Alice
Summary: True love knows no bounds.


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_Disclaimer: I own nothing :(_

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**Unwavering**

_You'll never let me go._

~Aly & AJ, Protecting Me

"Do you ever wonder what would happen if we lost the war?" Katara asked Aang, one summer evening as they sat outside the Jasmine Dragon in a secluded area away from all the commotion. The scent of Iroh's freshly brewed tea still lingered in the air and every so often, Katara could hear the former General shouting out orders to Zuko and Mai. There weren't too many customers inside, so after Suki and Sokka had disappeared, Katara and Aang had wandered outside. They had only intended to stay for a few moments, but no one seemed to notice their absence, so they remained outside.

"Not really," Aang said in response to her question. "There's not much to think about. I'd probably be dead and the entire world would become Fire Nation." He heard Katara inhale sharply.

"That's a nice way to put it," She muttered.

"We didn't lose though," Aang pointed out, noticing she seemed upset. In fact, he realized, she had been like that the entire day.

"I know," she said. "But it still doesn't make me feel better."

Aang raised an eyebrow, but she didn't respond.

"Katara?"

"You let me go," she said flatly. She didn't meet his gaze and there was something of an accusation hidden in her voice.

"What? Who told you that?"

"You did," she replied. "The other day, you said you needed to, to master the Avatar state. And you did."

He nodded. "But I didn't let you go."

"Of course not," was her sarcastic reply.

Aang just sighed. He still couldn't remember how he ended up telling her. It must have been an accident, because he had sworn he was never going to tell her. She would have felt bad; it was just her nature. In truth, he didn't want to tell her. Knowing Katara, she'd either be upset or furious (and now that she knew, she was both).

"Katara, I _couldn't_ let you go; that was half the reason Azula won in Ba Sing Se."

She didn't say anything in response.

"Katara," he said, softly. "I'd rather die than let you go." He thought he saw her shudder.

"Don't say that," she snapped, momentarily taken back, more so by how freely he was expressing himself than with what he actually said. She wondered what had changed. Once, it would have taken him ages to choke that out. Maybe it's because the war ended, she thought dully. There's more time now. "And don't make promises you can't keep."

"Promises I can't keep?" Aang repeated, thoroughly confused.

"You said you didn't know how you mastered the Avatar state this time," she replied. "What about next time you need to use it? You'll have to let me go."

"I never really thought…"

"I cared?" She finished. "I know I didn't act like it, but I did then. I still do."

"I was going to say I never really thought about that," he said. "But if it came down to that, I still wouldn't."

"But you mastered it in Ba Sing Se," Katara countered. And succeeded, she thought bitterly.

"Because there was no way we would have won; we were outnumbered. You were in danger."

"I didn't ask you to do that for me," she shot back.

Aang had to resist the urge to laugh. "You didn't have to."

She frowned. "I've had more than enough of people sacrificing themselves for me. Don't do it again; I'm not even worth it."

"Did you ever think that maybe people sacrificed themselves for you because you _are_ worth it?"

Katara stiffened, aware of several tears threatening to fall. She didn't want anyone sacrificing themselves for her; the last person who did had ended up dead and she didn't want to feel that pain again. A part of her was also afraid about what Aang telling her. She didn't think the rest of the world would be too happy if, one day, the Avatar sacrificed himself for a Water Tribe girl and they found out.

"Maybe," Katara began, her voice a little more than a whisper. "Maybe you should let me go."

Aang just blinked at her. "Why would I do that?"

"You'd master the Avatar State properly. You wouldn't have to worry about using it." Katara said. And you won't want to sacrifice yourself for me anymore, she added silently in her thoughts.

"I still wouldn't do it," Aang pointed out. "Even if I could, I wouldn't."

Katara fell silent and Aang suddenly detected a change in her vibrations. A few minutes ago, she had seemed angry, but now she just looked flustered and he detected fear hidden in her vibrations. He wondered what she was scared about, so he asked her. For a moment, she just looked surprised but then she composed herself and gave him an unconvincing response.

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

Katara knew it was useless to lie to him now that he could tell the truth from her vibrations, but she still tried. She had never been able to lie very well to him in the first place, but she had because she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth. She was afraid of making him feel bad.

"I'm afraid of the Avatar state," she said, recklessly, after he made another attempt to press the answer from her. "Not that you'll hurt me; you never have. But you'll have to let me go. You can't keep relying on miracles to access it."

"I know, but…"Aang was slightly taken aback. The logical thing would have been to be afraid because even fully realized avatars could hurt people while in the Avatar state, but Katara was afraid because he would have to let her go

"I know about Avatar Roku and Avatar Kuruk," she said, cutting him off. "But it was different for them, wasn't it?"

"I don't think that it was that much different."

Katara didn't reply. She wanted to believe that, but that same fear was still gnawing at her. She didn't know how else Aang could master the Avatar state. Letting her go was the only option.

But she didn't want him to let her go. It had taken her years to piece herself back together after her mother's death. She wasn't sure if she could do that if Aang let her go. Just the thought made her scared. But she was also fiercely pleased that he loved her enough to hold onto her, in spite of everything.

"Are you still thinking about it?" Aang asked, after a few moments had passed.

She nodded.

"I meant what I said. I'm not letting you go."

"Then how do you expect to use the Avatar state?" Katara demanded.

"I don't," Aang replied.

"What if we were stuck in a situation where one of us had to go? What would you do then if you couldn't use the Avatar state?"

"I'd make sure I go first," he laughed, as if sacrificing himself for her wasn't a big deal.

"This isn't funny," Katara said, meeting his gaze.

"I know," Aang acknowledged.

"Then why are you laughing?"

"Because, I doubt any of us would ever be in a situation like that, but if we were, I'd make sure I go first."

"Why?"

"It's the right thing to do."

"No," Katara shot back. "It isn't. The right thing would be letting me die first. You're the Avatar."

"So? If I died, I'd just be reincarnated. It's all part of the cycle."

"I know," Katara grumbled. "But I'd still go first."

Aang chuckled. "I wouldn't let you."

"That's not fair."

"No, but I still wouldn't let you."

"Why? Because I'm a girl?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

She shrugged. "Lots of guys are convinced they have to sacrifice themselves first because they're men. Is that why you said you would?"

"No. If I went first, then you'd get to live."

Katara frowned. She didn't know whether to be glad or upset that Aang was willing to sacrifice himself for her and she was mad that he wouldn't let her do the same if ever anything happened.

"Why are we even talking about this?" Aang wondered. "We won the war and besides, it's too nice of a day to be talking about depressing stuff like this."

"I was mad at you for letting me go," Katara sheepishly reminded him. "Sorry."

"Are you still mad?" Aang asked.

"How can I be when you're willing to sacrifice yourself for me? I'd have to be a complete idiot to be mad at you."

"No," he replied, giving her a quick kiss. "You'd have to be an idiot to think I wouldn't die for you or that I would let you go."

Katara laughed the first real laugh Aang heard her laugh all day. Suddenly, she wasn't mad at him for attempting to let her go. There was something comforting in knowing that he had tried to let her go and had failed. She knew it was selfish of her, but she couldn't help it.

"Thank you," she whispered, kissing him again. "For not letting me go. I don't think I would have been able to let go of you."

"You don't have to, because I'm never letting go of you."

_You'll never let go of me…and I'll never let go of you._

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_Thanks for reading and please review :)_

__~ Cassidy Alice


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